Rook To E4
by Shadow of the Forgotten Ones
Summary: Kaiba refuses to let Yugi drown in his emotions, mainly because of Mokuba, his solution? Chess


**AN:** Here's one for Yu-Gi-Oh! - Yugi and Kaiba play chess instead of Duel Monsters. grin emoticon (and I do mean Yugi, not Yami Yugi). Minimum of 1000 words.

Kaiba scowls as he makes his way through the cafeteria, a wooden box held in his hands. Dark blue eyes scan the table he is heading to, the Mutt had to stay back to finish a test, Point Hair is probably there two. Anzu is off somewhere he isn't sure where and Ryuji is MIA thank god and Ryou is sending his target sad looks. His target is one Yugi Muto, the reigning Duel Champion and his rival in many things. But he is also, though he would rather kiss Bandit Keith that admit this out loud, a friend. Or at least that is the logic that Mokuba used on him and then he used the puppy dog eyes. He sits down at the table placing the box he held down. Muto looks up stunned that Kaiba was mingling with them. Kaiba ignores both Muto and Ryou as he opens the box and pulls out his chess board.

"I am white, you're black."

"Kaiba?"

"I'll let you go first."

Yugi hesitates for a moment. They don't have much time but Kaiba seems set on playing Chess. So he scans the board and moves a pawn. They play long after the bell rings signalling that lunch is over.

"I am a Kaiba and I've already excused you from any classes you may miss."

The power Kaiba has that he throws around still startles him but Yugi has learned to go with the flow when Kaiba uses it for someone other than himself. So he sits and they play.

"Check," Seto says placing his Rook down. Yugi looks around the board and moves his King away and knows he's done when Kaiba smiles and moves his Queen.

"Mate. You have potential Muto. Rematch on Friday?" he asks putting the pieces back into the box.

"Sure?"

Kaiba nods, everything back in the box.

"Did you think about him while you played?"

Yugi pauses, face scrunching up in a grimace. He hadn't, he hadn't thought about Yami the entire time he played. Part of him wants to feel ashamed that he forgot the other part wa thankful. Ever since Yami left he'd felt so stuck. Yami had helped him with everything, was always there. It was like suddenly losing the training wheels on your bike to be alone in his mind.

"Then it worked. See you in class."

And Kaiba swept away with his usual flair.

Friday rolls around and Yugi is looking forward to the rematch, even if he loses. Which he does but Kaiba doesn't seem overly gleeful or any other emotion that would damper Yugi's want to play. So they set up a schedule, they play on Monday and Friday during lunch and again on Sunday. If they have a bad then they meet up after school to play again. It's a good system and soon it doesn't hurt to think about Yami, about Atem, anymore, he no longer feels as if he can't breathe.

"Check," Yugi says happily removing his fingers from his piece. Kaiba grins, uncaring of their audience and gets himself out of Check. The game goes on for two more turns before Yugi checkmates Kaiba. Katsuya makes a noise that has Kaiba glaring.

"This game is so confusing," the blond mutters ignoring Kaiba's glare.

"That's because your mutt brain can't comprehend the complexity of it."

It goes to show how much Katsuya has gotten used to Kaiba that he just rolls his eyes at the brunette CEO.

"Yeah and yer rich brain can't seem ta _comprehend_ tha when a woman says she needs chocolate ya don't fuck wit her."

Anzu snickers and hands Katsuya a cookie which he takes happily. Seto clears his throat and looks back down at the board.

The banter that had once been cruel has slipped into playful and sometimes Yugi has a hard time remembering that Kaiba once seemed to hate them.

"Same time tomorrow?" Yugi asks helping Kaiba put the game up. Kaiba nods his head.

"If my schedule permits it. I have something big in the works."

"See ya later then Seto."

"Yeah, don't work yourself too hard."

Kaiba rolls his eyes.

"Someone has to work hard."

"Yeah but it don't hafta be ya Moneybags."

"Shut up Mutt."

Katsuya sticks out his tongue and runs off before Seto can respond. Yugi rolls his eyes fondly at them both.

"You don't want to move it there."

"I don't know it looks like a good place for him to move it to me."

"If he moves it there than Shizuka can take it that weird colom looking one."

"It's called a Bishop Hiroto."

Seto coughs to cover up a laugh as he looks away from the game he is playing with Yugi. Next to them the Mutt and his sister are trying to play Chess with Hiroto and Ryuji standing over his shoulder.

"I'm glad they didn't do that when it was just us."

Yugi laughs and agrees.

"Katsuya is about to snap and throw a piece at them."

Sure enough Katsuya snaps and starts to throw spare pieces, Shizuka brought an extra set just for this reason.

"Check."

Yugi snaps his head back at the board and groans.

"I surrender!"

"You still have a chance."

Yugi snorts but keeps playing. The game lasts four turns this time before Yugi knocks over his King. Seto grins and looks back over to the other chess game. The two backseat gamers are sitting cowed, watching Katsuya get crushed by his sister.

"You didn't do too terribly," Seto says awkwardly to Katsuya who shrugs.

"She creamed me no need ta sugar coat it. But it was more fun than I thought it would be."

The good mood between them is ruined when Ryuji makes kissy noises at them and Katsuya chases after the dice wearing male. Katsuya tackles Ryuji easily.


End file.
